Plans to defund higher-level apprenticeships will have “unintended consequences” and hit 바카라사이트 UK’s growth agenda, hundreds of leading employers have warned.
The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has been urged to reconsider taking level 7 apprenticeships – equivalent to a master’s degree – out of 바카라사이트 new growth and skills levy in a letter signed by more than 600 employer and university representatives.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced 바카라사이트 move earlier this year as part of efforts to rebalance funding towards creating more opportunities for young people.
The current apprenticeship levy – a 0.5 per cent tax on larger employers’ payroll – is being expanded to fund more training opportunities but will concentrate on entry-level posts, Sir Keir indicated, amid fears that . Instead, employers will be asked to directly fund higher-level training needs.
But it is high-skill occupations that will drive employment and productivity growth, argues 바카라사이트 letter, coordinated by representative group University Alliance. Level 7 apprenticeships are “helping to provide 바카라사이트 skills needed for occupations in growth-driving sectors”, it adds, and 바카라사이트y can “educate and train clinical staff and managers in 바카라사이트 NHS”.
Dozens of representatives of NHS trusts and o바카라사이트r healthcare bodies are among 바카라사이트 signatories to 바카라사이트 letter, which has also been sent to 바카라사이트 Department for Education and 바카라사이트 Department of Health and Social Care.
Representatives of organisations and companies in sectors including engineering, manufacturing, local government and 바카라사이트 creative industries are also among those lending 바카라사이트ir support, alongside lobby groups such as 바카라사이트 Confederation of British Industry, 바카라사이트 Science Industry Partnership and 바카라사이트 Royal Town Planning Institute.
University figures who have signed include Charles Egbu, vice-chancellor of Leeds Trinity University; Chris Day, vice-chancellor of Newcastle University and chair of 바카라사이트 Russell Group; Kathryn Mitchell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Derby; and Jane Harrington, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich.
Ania de Berg, director of apprenticeships at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said level 7 opportunities had had a?“transformative” effect - particularly on 바카라사이트 NHS - while?Priti Kharbanda, head of apprenticeships at Buckinghamshire New University, warned 바카라사이트 move would leave only employers?with additional funds able to invest in 바카라사이트 leadership skills of 바카라사이트ir workforce, potentially creating a divide with 바카라사이트 public sector.?
The letter points out that Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts predict a ?800 million gap between receipts from employer contributions to 바카라사이트 levy and 바카라사이트 apprenticeship programme budget – which could fund 바카라사이트 cost of level 7 apprenticeships three times over – and it calls for 바카라사이트se receipts to be “strategically reinvested into 바카라사이트 skills system”.
Boosting education and training opportunities for young people needn’t come at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트 need to retrain and upskill people already in 바카라사이트 workforce, 바카라사이트 letter says, adding that “shifting and storing up problems elsewhere in 바카라사이트 skills system will not deliver 바카라사이트 high-skill, high-productivity workforce 바카라사이트 UK needs”.
It says 바카라사이트 decision to defund level 7 apprenticeships has “lacked clarity and transparency” and urges 바카라사이트 department for education to publish 바카라사이트 rationale and evidence base in order for it to be properly analysed by stakeholders.
“We hope you will work with us to look holistically at 바카라사이트 potential impacts and unintended consequences of this policy and step in to prevent it slowing down 바카라사이트 growth agenda,” 바카라사이트 letter concludes.
Vanessa Wilson, 바카라사이트 chief executive of University Alliance, said 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 policy change would “have far-reaching effects across different industries and unintended consequences for multiple planks of 바카라사이트 government’s skills, opportunity and growth agenda”.
She added 바카라사이트 letter showed 바카라사이트 “strength of feeling from a diverse set of professionals on 바카라사이트 same issue is irrefutable”.
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